Apparatus for producing a dry fixed gas



Nov. 3, 1936. F. J. N OLAN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A DRY F-IXED GAS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1933 Fig. 3.

' FRANK L/G NOLAN Nov.'3, 1936. F, J. NOLAN 2,059,268

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A DRYFIXED GAS Filed June s, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FRANK d. NOLAN Patented Nov. a. race earns non rnonponte a pr run one Nolan. Bridgeport, Gonna aaaignor to Application race s, was, seen its. stress not gone into commercial use. In many processes only the lighter, more volatile constituents are taken off, while the heavier fractions remain unused. Heat and pressure are generally required. both of which increase the risk in using inflammable or explosive substances of this type.

The primary object of the present invention is to produce a dryfixed gas which is stable at normal temperatures and which contains all the elements of the liquid hydrocarbon, even though the latter be relatively heavy and contain fractions of low volatility, without the use of heat and pressure. More particularly, I wish to provide a safe, inexpensive and simple apparatus for obtaining this result.

In most efforts heretofore made to convert gasoline to a dry fixed gas, the elements of time and quantity have not been considered. If air comes into surface contact with a body of gasoline having a volume greater than the air present is capable of taking up, only the lighter, more volatile constituents will be vaporized while the' heavier constituents will remain. As the process is continued the gasoline will finally reach the stage where it contains only heavy constituents, and these the air will not absorb alone. This portion of the gasoline, which with a poor grade of fuel is quite considerable, is therefore wasted. a

If, on the other hand. the air contacts with too small a quantity of gasoline, the resulting gas is unstable and, furthermore, is too lean and will not burn properly. In such a mixture there is considerable danger of an explosion which may cause a back fire through the apparatus, with disastrous results.-

I have found that the whole of the gasoline, even of poor grades, can be utilized if the air is permitted to contact only with the quantity of gasoline it is capable of absorbing and for a time so short that there is no opportunity for the air to give up the heavier fractions and take up lighter fractions by prolonged contact. It is the object of the present invention to provide apparatus for accomplishing these results.

More specifically, I pass air at a sumcientiy high speed through fibrous or porous material, such as wicklng, located in a chamber and having gasoline supplied thereto by capillary at- (Eli. milk-$59) traction from a body of the fuel. I prefer to use a chamber having a restricted inlet and a restricted outlet, or, even better, a plurality of such chambers. The air is drawn through the chambers by a pump connectedto the outlet of the 5 last chamber, so that no pressure is used. In this manner I also avoid the use of heat.

I believe that the excellent operation of my invention may be explained as follows: The wicks draw into the absorption chambers only a certain amount of gasoline, which is determined by the size and quality of the wicks. When air is drawn through the device, the amount of gasoline present in the chambers is so small that the air will absorb all the ingredients thereof, and will not take up the lighter fractions only. As soon as the air has'passed the wick, however, fresh gasoline will be fed to the wick by capillary attraction. Within wide limits, therefore, the rate of flow of the air will not affect the richness of the gas produced. In other words, I supply sufficient gasoline to give a rich mixture without wasting any of the fractions thereof.

Another advantage of my invention is that, while the apparatus has no storage space in which gas is stored for future use, yet it will produce gas almost instantaneously and for as long a time as it may be needed.

A further feature of my invention lies in the fact that neither the gas produced nor the prodacts of its combustion contain any carbon monoxide, which is a poisonous and dangerous ingredient of most combustible gases. This gas is stable, that is, its elements will not condense, at all normal atmospheric temperatures, even below 0 F.

Further objects and advantages will appear, more fully from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which for n a part thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly diagrammatic, of a system embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the vaporizing unit with the cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the lines lli of F .2- v

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically another use of the invention. p v

Fig. 5 is a top plan view with parts in section of a second form of vaporizing unit- I Fig. 7 is a side elevation with parts in section of the same.

' Fig. 8 is a top plan view with parts in section oi a third form of vaporizing unit.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation with parts in section or the same. a

The system shown in Fig. 1 comprises a vaporizing unit A having an air inlet 2 and a gas outlet 4. The outlet 4 is connected to the in-- let 6 of a pump 13 driven by a motor C. The outlet 8, of the pump B is controlled by a-manual valve If]. The speed of the motor is controlled by a rheostat i2 or in some other suitable manner. The pump B is of the constant pressure type, that is. this pump delivers proportional quantities at different speeds. I prefer to use a well known pump of the sliding vane type.

The vaporizing unit, as shown in Figs. 2 to 4, comprises a gasoline or fuel tank l4 having an opening iii through which the tank can be filled. From the top oi the tank extend a plurality of vertical tubes 68 arranged in a longitudinal row. These tubes connect the interior of tank it with chambers 28 formed in a long casing or box 22 by partitions 2 3. These partitions completely separate the various chambers except for restricted openings 26 formed substantially at their centers.

The air inlet 2 is connected to one end wall of the casing 22, and is controlled by a manual valve 28. The gas outlet is connected to the other end of the casing. The tank i4 can be drained by a. tap 30. 1

Wicks 32 are arranged in the tubes I8 and extend substantially to the bottom of the tank I4. The upper ends of these wicks are arrangedin the chambers 20 and are preferably spread out so as to fill practically the whole cross section of the chamber. Metallic coil springs 34 are arranged in the chambers in such a manner as to press the upper ends of the wicks against the inlet walls of the chambers so that the openings 26' are covered by the material of the wicks, and the air is forced to pass through this material.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the pump is started by the motor, no gas will be formed as the valve I0 is closed, but the pump will turn at a slow rate. As soon as the valve i0 is opened, air is drawn through the chambers 20 and wicks 32 and takes up the gasoline from the wicks, iorming a dry, fixed gas. As will be evident, the upper ends of the wicks will hold a small quantity of gasoline in finely subdivided form, and the air will pass in surface contact with this gasoline. Although no gas is stored, gas will be available as soon as air from the box 22 reaches the pump outlet.-

As fast as the gasoline is absorbed by the air,

more gasoline will be raised by capillary attraction from the tank l4 so that the device will operate continuously.

Since the wicks 32 substantially till the tubes l8, and since the tops of the wicks are enclosed in the box 22, practically no vapor can escape. Since no gas is stored, the system is practically empty when it is not in use.

The use of restricted inlets and outlets for the chambers increases the velocity or the air at the points where it first contacts with the wicks. Since the wicks only hold a limited quantity of gasoline, and since the air is drawn through the apparatus at a rate sufiicient to prevent oversaturation, all of the ingredients of the gasoline will be taken up. In other words, the pump and the wicks are preferably so proportioned that the air will not remain in contact with the wicks for a sufficient time to cause the air to redeposit on the wicks the heavier fractions in exchange for lighter fractions.

Within wide limits, however, the air can be drawn past the wicks at varying speeds without causing over-saturation and yet will produce a rich, dry gas. The air must, of course, not be drawn so rapidly that it cannot take up enough gas to form a combustible fuel gas. On the other hand, it must not move so slowly, in relation to the size of the wicks, that it becomes oversaturated. In other words, the fuel must be fed to the wicks and the air must be drawn by them at such rates that'the. quantity of the liquid in contact with any portion of the air is insuflicient to over-saturate the air during the time required for such part of the air to travel out of contact with the wick.

The gas produced according to my invention varies in accordance with the particular hydrocarbon used. In the gasoline fractions, I obtain a gas having from "1% to 13% hydrocarhens and from 93% to 87% air. This is my preferred range, and gives gaseous products having B. t. u. contents of 300 to 500 per cubic foot, the heat content depending on the quality of the gasoline. I append hereto examples showing v the operation and results of my apparatus.

Example 1 With a low grade gasoline, with a gravity of 55 Baum, treated according to the process and in the apparatus just described, the gas produced contained:

Percent Unsaturated hydrocarbons 2.5 Saturated hydrocarbons 6.8 Air 90.6

The B. t. u. content 01' this gas was 298. The gas was stable even at 0 F., and contained no carbon monoxide.

Example 2 Treatment in the same manner of petroleum ether (90 Baum) gave the following constituents:

Percent Saturated hydrocarbons 12.2 Air 87.8

This gas was likewise stable at all normal atmospheric temperatures and contained no carbon monoxide.

As far as I am aware, there is no chemical reaction between the air and the hydrocarbons, as no carbon monoxide or dioxide is formed. However, the two are apparently mixed or combined in such a. manner as to prevent condensation oi the hydrocarbons even at relatively low temperatures. It is only by my process that such a dry, fixed gas can be produced.

My vaporizer unit may also be used to supply gaseous fuel to an internal combustion engine. As shown in Fig. 5, this is accomplished by connecting the gas outlet 4 of the vaporizer unit A to the intake manifold 38 01' an engine E. The

action of the engine cylinders will draw air through the unit A and form a gas which will operate the engine. f Y

While I have shown the wicks 32in Figs. 1 to 4 as located in rectangular chambers, other shapes and arrangements can be employed. Figs. 6 to 9 show other forms of chambers, but 'itis quite evident that still further shapes and arthe scope of my invention.

can be made shorter.

cross section, as shown,

aosaaee to separate spherical chambers 20'. These tubes and chambers are arranged in staggered relationsliip on top of the tank M so that the device The air inlet 2' of the first chamber is arranged near the bottom. The first chamber is connected to the second by a tube 38, arranged near the tops of the chambers,

while the second chamber is connected to the third by a tube 4|] near their bottoms. These tubes alternate throughout the remainder of the chambers. Springs 36' press the ends of the wicks 32 against the inlets of the chambers.

Figs. 7 and 8 show still another type of chamber. In these, chambers 20 are elliptical in and are connected by tubes 42. Springs 36" press the ends of wicks 32" against the inlets of the chambers.

My apparatus produces a dry fixed gas which can be used as fuel for almost any purpose. I have found that it will operate satisfactorily in gas or gasoline stoves, furnaces or water heaters. or as illuminating gas, or to operate an internal combustion engine. It can be made more cheaply than ordinary illuminating gas, yet will have substantially the same or greater fuel value. One particular advantage of the gas produced byrny invention is that both the raw gas and the combustion' products are free of poisonous carbon monoxide.

While I have described herein some embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself thereby except within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: i

1. In an apparatus for forming a dry fixed gas from liquid hydrocarbons, a liquid container,

means forming a. plurality of chambers, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet, tubes connecting each of said chambers to said container, means connecting the outlet of each chamber to the inlet of the next chamber, the inlet of one end chamber forming an air inlet while the outlet of the other end chamber forms a gas outlet, wicks each having one end in one of said chambers and the other end extending through said tubes-into said container, and coil springs in each chamber pressing the wicks against the inlet opening.

2. In an apparatus for forming a dry fixed gas from liquid hydrocarbons: a liquid container, a plurality of tubes extending upwardly from said container, a casing mounted on the upper ends oi said tubes, a. plurality of partitions in said casing between the points of connection of said tubes dividing the easing into a plurality of' chambers each communicating with one of the tubes, said partitions having restricted openings therein, said casing having an inlet at one end and an outlet at the opposite end, and wicks having'their upper ends in said chambers and extending through said tubes into said container.

3. In an apparatus for forming a dry fixed gas from liquid hydrocarbons, a liquid container,

a plurality of tubes extending upwardly .from said container, a casing mounted on the upper plurality; of spheres mounted one on each of said tubes; means connecting said spheres in series, the end spheres of the series having openings therein forming an inlet and an outlet, and wicks having their upper ends in said spheres and extending through said tubes into said container. 

